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Gracious Professionalism
Hi All,
I have been on these boards since their inception way back in the rookie years of team number 47. In my time i have seen 9 games come and go. I have seen FIRST grow from a competition involving one regional tornement, and one national tornement, to the massive operation you see today. I have seen the game get tougher, more complicated, and more interesting every year. I have also seen what many others have seen in the fact that the ideals of people in FIRST are changing. We live in a competitive world. FIRST is changing to adjust to the world in order to promote science and technology by making the games more TV friendly as well as more exciting. Back in the early years, the ideas were small, the community was non-exsistant. Over the years, because of forums like this one which we express and share our ideas, FIRST has evolved from the simple engineering competition that it was, to encompass not only a competition aspect, but also a personal aspect. I have made dozens of friends through FIRST as well as many others. FIRST is growing, the students, engineers, and community members are growing. Its all about growth...its all about change. The idea of gracious professionalism has never changed, though the use of the idea has become blurred from time to time. FIRST can only preach gracious professionalism so much, the rest of it becomes the responsibility of those who have been around long enough to set the example. As FIRST changes, as it has changed over the years, as it will continue to change, it is up to us to continue to promote gracious professionalism. When we speak on these boards, and when we are at competition we must remember what Woodie says..."act as if our grandmother was watching us." For FIRST to grow, and gracious professionalism to be upheld, we can't rely on FIRST to change the way they approach things to promote it, we must promote it ourselves.
Remember this when you are at the competitions, or speaking on this board...it'll make life much more fun for everyone involved...and it will make life easier on the good people at FIRST who are struggling enough to bring us a fun exciting game, and promote science and technology.
Good Luck to Everyone
Andy Grady
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